End of an Era: Honolulu’s Famous Haiku Stairs to Be Dismantled

Honolulu, Hawaii, has decided to dismantle the landmark Haiku Stairs on the island of Oahu.

Haiku Stairs / Photo=Flickr

According to foreign media, including CNN, the city of Honolulu, Hawaii, we officially started dismantling the Haiku Stairs, also known as Stairway to Heaven, on the 17th.

Rick Blangiardi, the Mayor of Honolulu, stated that the city council had banned access to the stairs for safety reasons. Still, over 4,000 tourists climb the Haiku Stairs covertly annually, leading to the decision to dismantle them. He added, “It will take about six months to dismantle the stairs completely.”

Mayor Blangiardi further described that this decision was not made abruptly. He explained, “In 2021, the city council unanimously agreed to dismantle the stairs, and we are just now starting the actual dismantling work.”

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Haiku Stairs / Photo=Flickr

The Haiku Stairs, built by the U.S. Navy during World War II for military purposes, consist of 3,922 steps. From the top of the Haiku Stairs, which follow the ridge of the Ko’olau Mountains on Oahu, one can see the entire landscape of Hawaii.

In 1987, the city of Honolulu banned tourist access to the Haiku Stairs for safety reasons since the stairs were too steep, leading to a series of accidents where tourists fell and died. Despite imposing a fine of about $7000 on tourists who secretly climbed the stairs, the number of such tourists did not dwindle.

Afterward, Hawaii residents voted to charge admission fees and set a daily limit on the number of visitors. However, in 2021, Honolulu completely dismantled the Haiku Stairs for public safety.